Wichita eagle., 1887-07-22
POOR OLD K. @.
Got Left on the Mammoth
- ,-.. Burton Stock Car Com
pany Works,
Which are Coming to Wichita With
Their Two Thousand Employees.
''Stil1 There's More to Follow"

Everywhere, in fact, was SIS Wichita going
to get the car works" Every one was on
the qui vive to catch the latest information.
Everyone watched with a quiet yet anxious
interest, the movements of the representa-
tives of the Bu ton company, Mr.. E. 7. Per-
kins and Mr. Chas. E. Barber, vice president
and ce unset of the company, respectively, as
they were shown about the city by the re-
ception committee Of the board of trade, who
did their work as only the Wichita people
can snow the only Wichita. Wherever the
party went it was one continued expression
of mingled amazemept and admiration on
the part of the visitors. Mr.. Nerrell,
the western agent of the company,
at Kansas City, who was with the party
until yesterday evening, was also quite I'M
bounded in his praises of Wichita, which he
said was complete surprise to him. MIR.
Barber remarked last night: 'Why, if we
had hot promised to visit Wichita, we would
certainly have remained in Kansas City and
located the shops there"
The Kansas City people are full of envy for
Wichita, and are so bare-faced in their state
ments concerning their rival, that their I'M
fairness is a negative influence. While
driving about the city Mr.. Perkins
remarked in his quiet way: "Idon't see how
the Kansas City people could dare tell me
such things as they did about Wichita, when
they knew was coming right here"
Some of the Kansas City yarns about
Wichita entitle their authors to prominent
positions among the most noted monumental
liars of our land. But in this we do not in
tend to say anything harsh about poor, old,
unfo1 tunate, sleepy Kansas City. It's hard
enough to have her little bright-eyed, wide
awake sister "cut her out" Ever
since the gentleman from the east ar
rived the telegraph wires have been
hot with appeals from Kansas City parties,
to give them lust one more show" and they
would do what they agreed to and even
more, if the company would only not let
Wichita beat them. These message became
so heavy, that the quadruplex wire to Kansas
City broke down and for fourteen hours
Kansas Citys pitiful wall could not be
heard. The last heard from there was from
an almost distracted citizen of Kawvilie; say
ing that he was coming down to Wichita
this morning. We bespeak for the gentle
man a hearty welcome and pre-
dict that he viii be forced to
admits that he himself is surprised at the
W onderful character of Wichita and her
splendid advantages. Of course he will have
our tenderest sympathies and heartfelt con-
ISOLATION, but that is all we can offer. We
phantom hope, some one at Kawville put
t hat into his head. But alas, he will find he
is toe, too late, and all there will be for him
to do will be for him to go back to Rip Van
Winkletown and explain show the play
came up"
Wichita has the car works as
a settled fact and that is
all there is of it. MessIs. Perkins and Bar
Der have been surely becoming convinced
ever since their arrival in Wichita that this
the place for the works and as soon as they
learned that lumber and other materials
could be laid down here for cheaper than at
Kansas City, and became satisfied that the
matter of drainage of the several locations
was all right, they determined that the Bur-
ton Stock Car compan g shops, with their
TWO THOUSAND EMPLOYEES
must be located in Wichita,
meeting of the beard Of trade directors was
held at. the board rooms at 1880, when the
resolution was unanimously
adopted in response to a statement from the
company, hat they were ready to close with
Be it resolved by the board of di-
rectors of the board of trade, that the COM
mittee appointed by the president of the
board, to confer with Messrs Perkins ct. al !,
and said commit ee are continued to act in
said matter, and said committee are instruct
ed to confer with Mr.. Perkins and formally
close up said matter, and request Mr.. Perkins
the terms and conditions on which
said car works can be located at or near
Wichita Kansas" And as a result matters
are all settled for the location of the works at
The formal part has all been agreed
upon and the necessary official documents are
being prepared now, and all necessary con-
tracts will be closed by tonight. As yet there
has been no location selected, but bids will
be received for locating the woI ks in some
part of the city, and all owners Of outside
pr operty had better get together in
a hurry and make their bids for
the establishment of this greatest of
all of Wichita's industrial enterprises We
think we will be excusable for reprinting the
following information from Wednesdays
issue concerning the details of the car works:
LAS is known the directory of the City
Board Of Trade and to a number of other
citizens. the Burton Car Company--builders
OF be Burton stock car and all manner of
rolling stock-are an immensely wea thy
of Massachusetts, who have de-
cided to put in plant at some western city.
Ait hough receiving offers from a number of
cities, the company seems inclined to Wich-
ita or to Kansas City, the places in their
ju dgment which bid the fairest for future
greatness. The plant they propose to put in
cannot be described within the compass of
this article. The plant Will be composed Of
two immense buildings or structures, ea-h
S0x go feet, two other buildings of 60x20O
feet, another 50xl50 feet, together with a
general office building and number of
smaller structures
All of the main buildings are supplied
with a wilderness of machinery, some of it
lmme nse and some Of delicate construction,
with an iron foundry and brass foundry,